For the Ravens, revenge was never so sweet. Getting payback against the Patriots, the Ravens won the AFC championship, 28-13, and advanced to Super Bowl XLVII to face the 49ers. It will be John Harbaugh against Jim Harbaugh, brothers coaching against each other for the first time in Super Bowl history. For the Ravens, it was a long-awaited breakthrough against the team that edged them in last year’s AFC championship.

Unlike many of this year’s post-season games, this was no nail-biter. This was a knockout punch. The Ravens scored 21 straight points in the second half, turning a 13-7 deficit into a 28-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Gillette Stadium was stunned. And soon, the Patriots’ season was done.

Here’s what we learned:

1. Inspiration and frustration have turned the Ravens into monsters.

Having made the playoffs the previous four seasons without reaching the Super Bowl, the Ravens finally said, "Enough is enough."

They let nothing stand in their way, knocking off Andrew Luck and the Colts, then Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Sunday, the Ravens beat Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Ravens earned it. It will be the second Super Bowl for Lewis, and for stars like Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata and Joe Flacco, it will a well-deserved turn on football’s biggest stage.

2. Brady and Bill Belichick have to be wondering what it will take to win another Super Bowl.

It has been eight years since their last one, and the longer that drought goes, you have to question whether their ring collection will end at three. The Patriots were the favorite in the two Super Bowls they lost to the Giants and were favorites Sunday. But this was far from Belichick or Brady’s best game.

The Patriots mismanaged the clock late in the first half near the goal line, forcing them to settle for a field goal instead of a possible touchdown. And in the second half, the Ravens dominated. It will be a long offseason for both as they wonder what went wrong, and if they will ever reach pinnacle again.

3. Joe Flacco gets his just reward.

He outplayed Brady in the AFC Championship Game last season, but the Patriots won. This time. Flacco (three touchdown passes) was the better quarterback again, and it extended his impressive playoff resume.

Flacco has never missed the playoffs in five seasons. On this run, he outplayed Luck, Manning and Brady. Flacco no longer has to convince anyone he can take the Ravens to a Super Bowl. It’s the next game on their schedule. And he's a major reason the Ravens are headed to New Orleans.